TILLERING AND PROLIFICACY AS STABILIZING TRAITS TO MAIZE GRAIN YIELD AT DIFFERENT DENSITIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18512/1980-6477/rbms.v9n3p254-265Keywords:
Zea mays, segunda espigaAbstract
The identification of mechanisms that increase maize yield stability can minimize losses to grain yield caused by low plant populations. This study was carried out aiming to evaluate if tillering and prolificacy are effective traits to stabilize maize grain yield at different plant populations. The trial was set in Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil, during the growing season of 2007/08. Four plant densities (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 e 10.0 pl m-2) and three maize hybrids (P30F53 – tillering, AG9020 - prolific and AS1570, scarce tillering and low prolificacy) were tested. Grain yield ranged from 10,750 to 13,740 kg ha-1 and increased quadratically with the increment in plant population. P30F53 was more productive than AG9020 at the density of 5.0 pl m-2. There was no difference on hybrids grain yield at the other plant populations. The higher tillering ability of P30F53 and prolificacy of AG9020 did not provide them yield advantages, in comparison to AS1570, when maize was grown at the lowest plant population. The favorable climatic, soil and management conditions attenuated yield lost caused by low plant populations, mitigating the importance of tillering and prolificacy as productivity stabilizing traits at sub-optimal standsDownloads
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